My Brother's Wedding
by kayladie
Summary: What was Han Solo thinking as Luke Skywalker married Mara Jade?


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A/N: I wrote this story for the brand-new Skywalker-Solo Board on Yahoo and thought I'd put it here as well. I was just wondering what Han was thinking about as he watched his brother-in-law marry the woman who had once sworn to kill him! Hope you enjoy. J 

Disclaimer: All characters belong to George Lucas and Tim Zahn and I am not making any money off this.

My little brother got married today. My brother. And that's not just because I'm married to his sister. It's a helluva lot more than that. Yeah, if you asked some scientist, he'd probably rattle on about DNA and other ridiculous stuff about genetics and tell you that Luke isn't my brother. He'd say there was no way because we don't share the same blood.

Well, that's a load of bantha shit. Luke is my brother in every way that counts, and to me, shared blood is the least important of those.

I remember the first time I saw the kid, sitting beside the old man in that cantina in Mos Eisley. I remember thinking 'No way this little snot lasts two seconds in the real world.' Guess I was wrong, huh? 

I didn't understand a lot of things back then. Certainly didn't understand much about friendship, beyond Chewie anyway, but that's an entirely different story. I'm still not sure what it is about Luke that draws people to him. Is it the Force--not that I'm completely sure I believe in that hocus-pocus, even now--or is it just him? Either way, he can't be in a room for two minutes and everyone wants to get closer to him.

He doesn't let a whole lotta people past that outer guard, though. I sometimes feel blessed to be one of those few. I guess it's because I've seen him at his best and at his worst. I remember how he was after Callista left…that was not a happy time. And I was otherwise occupied after the fight with daddy dearest at Bespin, but Leia told me enough about it.

I could see the change in him when he rescued me on Tatooine. Yeah, he was still Luke, but not the same Luke that I had met in that cantina. Hell, I bet if you took a holo of Luke that first day I met him, and compared it to one of him after Endor, you'd swear it wasn't even the same person. I think it's his eyes, mainly. They look so old now. I guess it's no secret that we were all pretty worried about him for a while there. Leia especially. She's pretty intense when it comes to her brother.

We hoped and prayed that he would find someone someday, that he could have a relationship like the one that we have. The kid certainly deserved it. Course, you coulda knocked me over with a feather when that someone turned out to be Mara Jade. I mean, yeah, anyone could tell they were attracted to one another… both young, good-looking, Force-users and all that. But to get married!? Hell, we were all in shock.

I admit, I was a little wary of her at first. She had sworn to kill him, after all. Weird how that seemed to bother everyone but him, but that's Luke for you. Maybe he saw something different in her all along. But then I see the way she looks at him when she thinks no one is looking at her. She adores him. Naturally, I don't let her catch _me _looking. I don't think I wanna be the one to test the 'Mara Jade has mellowed over the years' theory.

I'm watching as Kam says 'You may kiss the bride' and Luke turns to Mara. He puts his hands on either side of her face and leans down--the little bit he has to, anyway--to kiss her. Now, I know for sure that there ain't one ounce of Force sensitivity in this Corellian--not that I'd want it, mind you--but even _I _can feel the emotion in that kiss. 

I must've let out a little sniffle--the dust in here, y'know--because Leia looks up at me with a knowing expression on her face. Course, she's about ready to bawl herself. I let her think I'm getting sentimental and I wrap my arm around her and pull her close in to my side. My wife. Sometimes _that's _still hard enough to believe.

As the best man and the matron of honor, me and Leia walk down the aisle ahead of the newlyweds. We step out into the bright Coruscant afternoon to see thousands of people cheering and screaming. All of 'em just wanting to get a look at the Jedi Master and the ex-Emperor's Hand.

I look at Luke and wonder if all this fuss bothers him on what's supposed to be the most special--and usually private--day in a man's life. He catches my gaze and gives me the most brilliant smile I've seen from him since the day the Alliance gave us those medals for destroying the Death Star. I smile back at him. Nah, he doesn't care about the crowd. He's got his future standing right beside him and I notice that she's gazing adoringly again. Maybe she is mellowing, or maybe it's just the influence of the man she's just promised to love and honor for the rest of her life. Me, I kinda think that's it.

Be happy, little brother. You deserve it.


End file.
